Mercedes chief Ola Källenius warned that Germany is heading toward an economic decline and, indirectly, towards a takeover by the far‑right AfD. He told “Der Spiegel” that for the last 10 to 15 years the country has been moving in the wrong direction economically. “If that isn’t changed, right‑wing populists will come in and have no real solutions” he said.
Källenius cited a lack of willingness to work among Germans as a key cause. “It’s as if people say, ‘We have trained enough for the World Cup,’ yet everyone else trains twice as hard” he explained. “Everyone knows that is not how you become world champions”. He added that Germany has the highest labour costs in the world, a fact that can only be matched by higher productivity. That has no longer been sustainable. “We do not want Asian‑style conditions in Germany, but we must move again in the direction of energy, taxes and labour costs that make entrepreneurship and investment worthwhile. Otherwise, capital will leave the country” he emphasised.
On the subject of part‑time work, Källenius defended the right to it, albeit with limitations. “Part‑time work for genuine reasons such as child‑care or nursing is a wonderful instrument that has kept many people linked to their employers or re‑introduced them to the labour market”. He also warned that Germans, overall, should work more again, otherwise “our unique productivity machine will stall even further”.
Looking at European industrial policy, Källenius called for a change of course. “We need to move away from obligations and penalties, towards market‑based incentives and massive investment in infrastructure” he said. Whether in chemistry, steel or automotive, Europe makes the same methodological mistakes everywhere, eroding its economic strength. Regarding the EU Commission’s planned easing of the 2035 combustion engine ban, he acknowledged that the EU had, for the first time, opened the door to technological openness, but that the pleasure was short‑lived. “We won’t generate growth; we’ll simply shrink the market while regulations dictate what consumers should think and want at specific times”. He said that will be discussed in the coming months with the European Council and Parliament.